Friday, November 4, 2011

HAPPINESS IS .............



Bouquets of old spoons from the scrap yard,



Containers filled with pencils...
I LOVE pencils!



Art books... particularly African Art books,



Piles of sketchbooks filled with ideas,


Monkeys that peep .....


Sundays on the The Midlands Meander (an art route through KwaZulu Natal) .....


Browsing through country shops,


Being amazed by creatures made from wire and beads,



Stopping somewhere for tea .... lunch ..... and tea again



Beautiful scenery.... snow ..... fresh air in rural Natal



Happiness is spending time with my family (yep, that's my brother in the top right corner above ...... Lets see if he reads my blog :-)


All photos are mine except for The Dlaminis above from Zulu-Lulu Trading on the Midlands Meander.


SO MUCH HAPPINESS by Naomi Shihab Nye

It is difficult to know what to do
with so
much happiness.
With sadness there is something
to rub
against,

A wound to tend with lotion and cloth.

When the world falls in around you,
you
have pieces to pick up,

Something to hold in your hands,

like
ticket stubs or change.


But happiness floats.

It doesn't need you to hold it down.

It doesn't need anything.

Happiness lands on the roof
of the next
house,
singing,
And disappears when it wants to.

You are happy either way.

Even the fact that you once lived
in a
peaceful
tree
house

And now live over a quarry of noise
and
dust
Cannot make you unhappy.

Everything has a life of its own,

It too could wake up filled with possibilities

Of coffee cake and ripe peaches,

And love even the floor
which needs to
be swept,

The soiled linens and scratched records…..

Since there is no place large enough

To contain so much happiness,

You shrug, you raise your hands,
and it
flows out of
you

Into everything you touch.
You are not
responsible.
You take no credit,
as the night sky
takes no credit
For the moon, but continues to hold it,

and to share it,

And in that way, be known.


- Naomi Shihab Nye

56 comments:

  1. I remember that poem by Nye and it was great to read it again this morning on your post. From your pictures, I think that somehow it is always the simpler pleasures of life that make all of us happy.

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  2. à part, la neige.. je trouve ce choix.. idéal!

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  3. I am happy to see the things that make YOU happy.

    And the poem made me happy to read it..
    yes

    lightness.

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  4. I agree with Di she beat me to posting what I immediatly thought.

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  5. i'm happy just lookin at it!

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  6. Great post. I think the simplest things often give the most pleasure. I love those spoons!

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  7. It looks like you had a marvelous outing. I can't wait for your brother's reaction to "his" picture. tee hee. Aaahhhh the poem about happiness makes me want to feel that most uplifting feeling of happiness. It is good to share. Have everyone around you floating in that sea of happiness.

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  8. love the poem
    and
    the snow
    also
    much taken with the green teapot
    :)

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  9. Dont know where to begin! the image of snow in Africa is wonderful to a furriner who thinks of heat when Africa comes up! the vase of spoonflowers could live at my house too! the wire figures I love. I talk to the sheep every day.but I'd love to find the blue salamander on my windowsill! the poem is very happy and I'm glad you are too!

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  10. What a beautiful poem! Love seeing your happiness!

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  11. The love of love. How beautiful! Thanks for sharing.

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  12. So long since I've wandered through the blogs. So glad I made the moment this morning. Miss your images, hope all's going very well for you, Robin.

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  13. Your spoon collection looks like a bouquet. Love the fresh air too and your sketch books make me happy. That was quite the poem. Unexpected truth, not at all trite. That's hard to do when writing of happiness.

    hugs

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  14. Thank you for sharing your happy photos. I am going to spend the day looking at things that make me happy and not dwell on what makes me sad.

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  15. Robyn, this is a lovely, wonderful post, I have been thinking of doing a post like this for a while, when I do I will be using this poem, which I love, but often forget. May you float through this weekend and of course kisses to Digby. xoxo

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  16. Yes, I recognize it...happiness. This poem speaks perfectly of it and your photos speak of your delight and joyful happiness...lovely!

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  17. Your photos made me smile - all of this post is really just lovely and the poem is the icing on the cake!

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  18. Wonderful poem and post. I love pencils too! There's a lot to be grateful for, isn't there?

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  19. I enjoy the counterpoint between the substance of unhappiness and the weightlessness of joy that Nye speaks of in her gorgeous poem. Your happiness comes through in just the same way; the photographs are exuberant and unbounded in the space they encompass (if such a thing is possible!)

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  20. I love personal posts like this the best, for I can learn more about the heart of the artist I'm interested in and her influences. Thanks for the poem; I didn't know of this poet.

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  21. So nice to see the snow landscape, though my toes want a warm world these days. And those spoons!

    Happiness is a left over Halloween Peanut Butter Cup with a fresh coffee. Very rocket fuel

    I love these lines from the poem, "Everything has a life of its own,
    It too could wake up filled with possibilities
    Of coffee cake and ripe peaches,
    And love even the floor..."

    ripe peaches and possibilities, sounds like a perpetual Springtime which is what Joy feels like, no?

    Thanks Robyn. Big Thanda.

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  22. ps. "The Dutchess of Dargle" is also a happiness. I love so

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  23. how little things bring happiness, objects, shapes. and then there are wire creatures...

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  24. Yes to everything!

    Just what is it about pencils? And the smell of them when sharpened! (I feel a blog post coming on).

    Thankyou R for a wonderful collection.

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  25. Pencils.. oh yeah.. sharp pencils all ready to do your bidding... one of my favourite things too!!

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  26. You have many beautiful things in your life, including your blog posts.

    Love those pencils!!

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  27. R-just so loved your collection of spoons but more so because they were in the rusty container - happiness can come in the strangest and simplest ways. Go well. B

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  28. Beautiful compilation of happiness!

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  29. Great photos - love tea and the spoon bouquet!!!And a peeping monkey!!!

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  30. Happy that you shared the pictures and the poem. Inspiring, as always. You didn't add Digby? Is he in the doghouse? Happy hugs. bb

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  31. I love that poem Robyn - I have not seen it before and it is so true.

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  32. A beautiful post, thank you for sharing this.

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  33. love the bouquet of spoons they are fab ...x

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  34. The spoons could tell so many tales, I love them. Another great post Robyn.

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  35. What a great post. It makes me happy just to read it!

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  36. Robyn I covet those spoons in the jug. I have serious spoon flower rust/jug envy! Oh my they have totally made my day and make me happy every time I see them. So...happiness shared across the globe!

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  37. oh this is wonderful
    I too love the spoons
    and your happiness
    spills and spreads
    in wide
    all-inclusive circles
    I too am happy
    another day of sunny golden
    twinkling above my head
    sparkling inside
    and out...

    thank you for so much loveliness...

    xox - eb.

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  38. Delightful! . . especially the spoon bouquet and the monkey peeping! . . and, of course, art books!

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  39. I love this post Robyn! It is always so much fun to peak into your African world!

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  40. Happiness does indeed float. Lovely poem.

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  41. what a lovely way to express happiness - beautiful images and a beautiful poem.

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  42. That spoon bouquet is so stirring... (sorry, couldn't help myself) That is one pot of happiness. and one great post of happiness too. Thanks again for your pics.
    xoxo Kim

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  43. Priya, it is a beautiful poem isn't it?! Happiness lands on the roof of the next house, singing... love that!

    Elfi, thank you.

    Di, :-)

    Thanks Grrl. We all need a little lightness.

    Penny, I know you can identify :-)

    Paula, now that makes me happy.

    Annie, the spoons have given me a lot of pleasure. Who would have thought?

    Lisa at Greenbow, no reaction yet... I don't think he reads my blog. It will be interesting to see...

    India, aah yes you found the green teapot!

    Lyle, I will go back to see if the salamander has had babies ;-)
    It is so hot here today that the snowy day seems far away.

    Thanks Judy, glad you enjoyed the poem.

    Lori, I enjoyed the post just as much as you did. Looking through my photos was fun too.

    Hi Virginia, glad you popped in to visit.

    Shayla, I could do with some fresh snowy air today! It is the hottest day we've had this Spring.

    Kim, I bet there's a little girl nearby who would love to make you happy with her sweet smiles.

    Annie C, hurry up and do your happy post. I'm looking forward to it. Kisses to Bella xoxo

    Mary Ann, ... happiness floats .... a lovely thought.

    Caroline, smiling back at you :-)

    Collage Whirl, amazing how a big jar of pencils can make one happy.

    Thanks Hannah, I couldn't resist including the poem.

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  44. Jo Reimer, glad you enjoyed the post.

    Mansuetude, ... or a perpetual Autumn which always makes me happy. Mmm ... a Peanut Butter Cup would be good right now. Thanda

    Velma, the simple things that bring happiness... wire creatures included :-)

    HHnB, we screeched to a hault especially to take the photo of the Duchess signpost for you.

    Gwen, .... and for some reason I love a pencil sharpened with a knife.

    Blu, another pencil fanatic!

    Barry, no surprise that you would like the rusty jug of spoons!

    Eric, enjoy!

    Oogleboops, a peeping monkey who would love to pop in for tea :-)

    Queen2u, funny you should say that :-) Yes Digby was in the Doghouse.... but not for long.

    Weaver, so glad you liked the poem!

    Thanks Bofis.

    Artymess, I have to agree with you.

    Ro, it would be interesting to know the history of the spoons. One of them has RICE stamped on it.

    Seth, glad the post made you happy!

    Fiona, well if happiness floats ..... it could definitely float from continent to continent.

    Thank you Eb, sunny days and a beautiful starry night as I type this.

    Jann, the art books are an endless source of happiness aren't they?!

    Heather, so gald youn loved the post!

    Carole, it is one of my favourite poems.

    Kim, I thought of you when I found the spoons. Wondering what you would make with them. Originally I bought them to use on one of my totems but I think I prefer them sitting in the jug.

    Kim (Numinosity) ha ha.... I should have known there would be a stirring remark. Thanks for the giggle.

    Thanks Prasetyo.

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  45. Robyn I will, but I had to post new paintings first, but soon! xoxo

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  46. Thank you for sharing your beautiful pics!
    Ah,family! Yes, they are special!

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  47. Your post exudes happiness Robyn! What a lovely poem, and you will have to let us all know if your brother comments :o) I love, love the peeping monkey!

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  48. true love abounds... so good to find happiness in the blogosphere... x

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  49. This is happy stuff indeed. I have a headcold but now, after looking at your blog, I don't care. I'm happy!

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  50. Today happiness is being off work with a light flu and so having the time at last to read my favourite blogs :)

    Thanks for the lovely wander around your happiness points, Robyn :)

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  51. what a cute brother! haha...

    and yes, throw the hans UP and it flows out, that happiness and the realization that it HAPPENS, it comes and goes, we have the openness and gratitude within us to feel it.....and then share it.

    yes, be known. as you are.

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  52. I am home from my big trip to Japan and am finally finding time to come over to the blog world and am starting with your blog posts and am sure I have missed some wonderful posts here... love all your happiness here because I had a very happy time in Japan!

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  53. I love a lot of the same things too! But, my new love thanks to you are the lizards made of wire and beads!

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  54. dear Robyn, I love that you have shared your happiness here! My favorites are the spoons, and your sketches. Beautiful poem too! I always love visiting here.
    Roxanne

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  55. Happiness is certainly all of these things! And then you topped it off with a poem by a favorite poet!

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